Dear Editor: 

Holly Stover has been a friend for years -- ever since our mothers taught together at BRES! I was shocked and saddened to see her opponent attempt to discredit her commitment to the region in his recent letter to the editor. That kind of low politics is common in national races, sadly enough, but it’s not the way we usually do things in Lincoln County.  

I researched some of Mr. Hunt's statements and because I included explanations and sources it could not fit them in 1 letter- so this is Part 1.  

 “lowest labor participation in 40 years” Maine labor participation has declined since a high in 2000 because most of us Boomers have either retired or are working fewer hours. Participation rate is lower because Maine is the oldest state in the country! Is Mr. Hunt suggesting raising the retirement age in order to raise labor participation? https://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/blogs/Decreasing_Labor_Force_Participation.pdf  

In addition, today Maine's Unemployment rate is 2.8%. In April 2023 it was 2.3%, that was the lowest number in 40 years. (US BOL) https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEUR  

“She voted for budgets that have given Maine the 4th highest tax burden in the country,” Well, that depends on how you calculate taxes. If 100 people attend an auction in Maine- 50 from Maine and 50 from away- and the auction has some very expensive art and raised $1m, would you say that it cost each Maine auction goer $20,000 to attend? No. But when groups take the entire amount of tax collected by the State- sales, gas, meals/ lodging and property taxes paid by residents and non-residents and then divide that amount only over the resident population there is a distorted, often intentional inflated picture of tax burden.  

However, if you look at tax fairness the picture is much different. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (www.itep.org ) has identified Maine as one of six states that provide a fairer tax structure in part due to policies that support the use of targeted refundable credits, a lower reliance on consumption taxes and broad based income taxes.     

Holly is a thoughtful policy maker who makes well-reasoned decisions and alwats has her District and Maine on her mind. Re-elect Holly Stover for District 48.  

Marge (Brewer) Kilkelly 

former member Maine House and Senate Lincoln County